Catholic pilgrimage site of Medjugorje desecrated

A popular Catholic pilgrimage site in Bosnia has been vandalised and a nearby altar set ablaze, authorities said, days before tens of thousands are expected to gather at the shrine.

The Marian shrine of Medjugorje, about 140km southwest of the capital Sarajevo, rose to fame in the 1980s after purported apparitions of the Virgin Mary there.

It has become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites, with more than one million people visiting every year.

Local media published images of the damage, showing black spray paint covering the central statue of the Virgin Mary's face and the words "devil in a skirt" on its pedestal.

Security camera footage published by Jabuka TV showed a man setting fire to the outdoor altar of the nearby St James Church.

Police said they were investigating after worshippers reported "offensive messages" and a fire at the site.

Some of the graffiti, written in both Polish and English, appeared to attack people who communicate messages from the reputed apparitions - known locally as "visionaries".

The incident occurred days before the annual prayer gathering, which is held in the first week of August, and draws more than 50,000 young people from around the world to Medjugorje.

In September 2024, the Vatican recognised the shrine but stopped short of ruling on the messages that "visionaries" claimed to receive from the Virgin Mary and regularly pass on to believers.

The decision boosted the prominence of the site in the small village, which has drawn followers since six young people reported seeing the Virgin Mary in 1981.

The Medjugorje parish office said in a statement that the planned event would go ahead and repairs were under way.

"It is with great sadness that we learned of the act of vandalism targeting our parish's places of prayer," the office said.

The statement also called for its followers to respond "through prayer, fasting, and forgiveness".